Ski pole and snow basket therefor

ABSTRACT

A ski pole having a shaft and a flange member on the snowpenetrating end of the shaft. The flange member includes a flange surface extending outwardly from the axis of the shaft and it includes a side surface extending from the outer limit of the flange surface and to the shaft to avoid hooking of the flange surface onto slalom poles, trees, brush, or like obstacles commonly encountered in skiing. The flange member is frustoconical in shape, and it is also shown to include a resilient part interposed between the shaft and the flange surface for tipping of the flange surface relative to the shaft. The flange member is shown to be hollow in one embodiment and to be solid in another embodiment. In still another embodiment, there is a conically shaped basket on a tapered ski pole with a collar on the upper end of the basket and with a resilient sleeve on the other side of the basket, such that the collar and the sleeve hold the basket axially fixed on the shaft.

United States Patent [191 Quinn [4 1 Jan. '7, i975 SKI POLE AND SNOW BASKET THEREFOR [76] Inventor: Matthew H. Quinn, 412 Melvin Ave., Racine, Wis. 53404 [22] Filed: Oct. 9, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 404,260

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 223,143, Feb. 3,

1972, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl ..280/11.37 N [51] Int. Cl A63c 11/24 [58] Field of Search 280/11.37 Z, 11.37 N, 11.37 B

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,961,099 5/1934 Dickson 280/l1.37 B 3,151,875 10/1964 Marchand.... 7 Z 3,193,300 7/1965 McDonald.... 7 Z 3,202,436 8/1965 Barreca 280/11.37 Z

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 597,574 5/1934 Germany 280/11.37 Z

1,478,108 8/1969 Germany Z 20,225 6/1910 Norway Z 439,048 12/1967 Switzerland 280/11.37 Z

Primary Examiner David Schonberg Assistant Examiner-Milton L. Smith Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Arthur J. Hansmann A ski pole having a shaft and a flange member on the snow-penetrating end of the shaft. The flange member includes a flange surface extending outwardly from the axis of the shaft and it includes a side surface extending from the outer limit of the flange surface and to the shaft to avoid hooking of the flange surface onto slalom poles, trees, brush, or like obstacles commonly encountered in skiing. The flange member is frusto-conical in shape, and it is also shown to include a resilient part interposed between the shaft and the flange surface for tipping of the flange surface relative to the shaft. The flange member is shown to be hollow in one embodiment and to be solid in another embodiment. In still another embodiment, there is a conically shaped basket on a tapered ski pole with a collar on the upper end of the basket and with a resilient sleeve on the other side of the basket, such that the collar and the sleeve hold the basket axially fixed on the shaft.

ABSTRACT 1 Claim, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 7 I975 SHEET 1 OF 2 ll SKI POLE AND SNOW BASKET THEREFOR This is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 223,143 filed Feb. 3, 1972, and now aban doned.

This invention relates to a ski pole, and, more particularly, it relates to the flange member, sometimes called basket or ring, on the pole and used for pressing onto the snow to obtain forward thrust or balance for the skier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Flange members, such as rings, baskets, or the like are commonly used on the lower ends of ski poles for retarding penetration of the pole into the snow and thereby providing for forward thrust of the skier or for balancing the skier. Examples of previously known poles are found in US. Pat. Nos. 3,151,875 and 3,193,300.

The problem with prior art poles is that these flange members protrude virtually transverse to the axis of the pole shaft and they are therefore available for inadvertently catching onto a slalom pole, brush, trees, or like obstacles encountered in skiing. Additionally, the prior art ring or basket is arranged so that the skier sometimes even steps on the basket and he then has trapped the pole beneath the ski and has immobilized himself or created a hazard in doing so. Even in view of the common use of ski poles and in view of the problem or shortcoming as mentioned above, ski poles are still manufactured with various arrangements of the basket or ring, such as those shown in the two cited patents, but there is no solution to the problem mentioned, except as to the partial solution to the problem, as shown by tipping the baskets shown in the cited patents.

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a ski pole which recognizes the problem and overcomes that problem of having the basket present itself in a position or shape which is susceptible to inadvertent hooking or catching onto objects which come into contact with it. In accomplishing this particular object, the present invention provides a flanged member or basket which will not catch onto adjacent objects or obstacles, such as slalom poles, brush, trees, nor can the basket or flanged member of this invention be stepped upon by the skier in a manner to trap the pole beneath the ski.

A further object of this invention is to provide a ski pole which offers only a minimum of air resistance to the skier in the use of the pole while the skier is moving at a high speed. That is, the pole is commonly carried by the skier at an angle approaching the horizontal when the skier is moving at a high speed, and the pole of this invention is aerodynamically designed so that it offers only a minimum of air resistance to the skier. This particular object is significant when the skier is endeavoring to obtain maximum speed, such as when he is in a race.

Still further, the present invention has the objective of providing a ski pole which is of a light-weight but of maximum efficiency in its penetration of the snow by the end of the shaft and in its resistance to further penetration of the snow by the flange member itself. In accomplishing this object, the flange member is located along the shaft so that the snow penetrating point of the shaft can readily enter the snow, as desired, and the flanged member is of a minimum overall width but of a maximum area for bearing down on the snow and thereby providing maximum resistance to having the flanged member penetrate the snow, as desired. In accomplishing this object, the flange member has a flange surface which is essentially a continuous surface so that there are no openings in the surface, and thus the flange surface has maximum bearing surface with minimum overall radial extent from the axis of the shaft.

Still further, it is an object of this invention to provide a conically-shaped basket which can be readily and easily but yet firmly assembled with the ski pole shaft, and with the basket being disposed at the optimum position relative to the tip of the shaft, and with the basket being of a resilient material so that it can deflect for the pur poses mentioned herein. In accomplishing this object, the pole can be a tapered pole and need not include a shoulder which inherently weakens the pole, and the basket is readily assembled with the pole by having a collar with a tapered opening positioned on the pole and then having the basket abut the collar and having a resilient sleeve disposed on the shaft and within the basket for restricting removal of the basket from the shaft, all as shown in the last embodiment on Sheet 2 of the drawings herein.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofa ski pole embodying this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a part shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing still another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of still another embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the assembly shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the lower end of the assembly shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the assembly of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line ll1l of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The drawings show a ski pole having an elongated shaft 10 with a handle 11 on one end and a snow penetrating point or tip 12 on the opposite end of the shaft 10. A flange member, generally designated 13, is affixed to the shaft 10 adjacent the snow-penetrating point 12 to be slightly spaced therefrom, as shown. The member 13 is also called a basket and is shown to be frusto-conical, and it includes a lower flange surface 14 and a conical or side wall 16. Thus the flange surface 14 extends to the radially outer limit from the shaft 10, as shown, and from that radial outer limit, the side surface 16 extends upwardly to the shaft 10.

With the arrangement described thus far, it will already be understood that the side surface is oblique to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 10, and thus the flange member 13 cannot catch onto obstacles, as mentioned above, as the pole is in use with the handle 11 in the leading position. Further, it will be noted that the flange surface 14 extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the shaft 10, and this surface is of course available for bearing down on the snow to prevent penetration of the pole into the snow, in the normal use of the ski pole.

FIG. 2 shows that the flange member 13 in the em bodiment of FIG. 1 has a hollow base, as designated by the hollowing at 17, and the flange surface is actually a ring shape designated 18 in FIG. 2 and the ring is of course radially spaced from the longitudinal axis of the shaft 10. FIG. 2 further shows that the flange member 13 is in two portions or parts, namely the lower frustoconical part 19 and the upper frusto-conical part 21, and the part 19 is shown to be made of a plastic but flexible type of plastic, and the upper part 21 is in the nature of a grommet and is shown to be of a resilient material, such as rubber. Also FIG. 4 further shows the configuration of the part 21, and it will here be seen that the part includes a cylindrical opening 22 through which the shaft extends in the telescopic arrangement shown in FIG. 2. The opening 22 is of a size smaller than the cross-sectional size of the shaft 10, so the part 22 is naturally stretched as it is slid upwardly on the shaft 10 in the assembly of the flange member 13 with the shaft 10. The shaft 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown to be tapered, so the opening 22 is of a size so that it will stretch to a point where it will resist further sliding upwardly on the shaft 10, and that would be until it reaches the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. At that position, the outer limit of the flange surface 18 is at a location which presents an angle A with the axis of the shaft 10, as shown in FIG. 2. This angle is sufficient so that the skier holding the handle 11 can have the point 12 penetrate the snow slightly before the moment when any part of the flange surface 18 would contact the snow, so that the point 12 can be assured of penetrating the snow, as desired. Thus the angle A is from approximately 25 to approximately 45. Also the drawings show that the angle of cone side wall 16 relative to the axis of the shaft 10 is approximately 25.

Still further, the part 21 being resilient will permit the entire flange member 13 to tip relative to the axis of the shaft 10, and this will permit further desirable action of the flange member 13 in pressing downwardly on the snow during the normal use of the ski pole so that maximum force is obtainable through the flange member 13 in bearing downwardly on the snow without penetrating the snow. Still further, the flange member part 19 is slightly resilient so that it can flex toward and away from the shaft 10, with or without flexure of the part 21, so that the part 19 also provides optimum efficientbearing downwardly on the snow and it also provides for the best escape or avoidance of catching on a slalom pole, brush, or like obstacle.

Thus the parts like 19 and 21 are shown to be related in that the part 21 is anchored on the pole 10, as described, and the part 21 is of a frusto-conical surface 23 extending from the top 24 and down to a circular groove 26 in the part 21. The part 19 has a radially inwardly directed ring 27 which snugly fits within the groove 26 for mating the parts 19 and 21 as shown. Further, it will of course be understood that the part 19 has its inner conical wall 28 available for projecting toward the snow onto which the flange member is being pressed, and, the part 21 has its lower surface 29 also available for pressing downwardly onto the snow. That is, in essence, the flange member 13 has the bearing surface of the total from the flange surface 18 and the conical surface 28 and the transverse surface 29, as described.

With the arrangement of the part 21 and its smaller opening 22 compared to the cross-section of the shaft 10, the flange member 13 can be applied to any tapered or shouldered shaft 10 in an easy and ready manner, and the entire flange member 13 can be readily replaced or originally assembled on the ski pole. Still further, it will be understood that the resilient member 21 will stretch as it is applied to the shaft 10, so it will assume the position shown in FIG. 2 and its upper end does not present any significant transverse surface relative to the shaft 10 and it will also securely hold the part 19. Further, the surface 18 is shown to be flared or larger than the thickness of the wall of the piece 19 on the plane of the surface 29, and this provides for strength and durability of the surface 18 while permitting the flexibility of the entire piece 19, as described. Still further, in actual practice, the diameter of the shaft 10 at the plane of the surface 24 in FIG. 2 may be seven/sixteenths of an inch, and the diameter of the opening 22 prior to assembly of the flange member 13 with the shaft 10 may be one/fourth inch, so the member 21 is stretched to the condition shown in FIG. 2 for easy but snug assembly.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show two other embodiments of the invention, and in these instances the shaft shown is of a different shape and is designated 31 and it has an upper shoulder 32 and a lower shoulder 33, both of which engage a portion of the flange member designated 34 in FIG. 5 to prevent further upward move ment of the flange member 34. Likewise, the flange member 36 of FIG. 6 has its upper surface engaging the shoulder 32 of the shaft 31, and a snap ring 37 secures the flange member 36 upwardly on the shaft 10, as a snap ring 37 also secures the flange member 34 in FIG.

The flange member 24 is shown to have a hollow interior 38, and it has its flange surface 39 extending substantially continuously from the shaft 31 and radially outwardly therefrom to a side wall 41. Also, the flange member 34 has its oblique side wall 42 extending from the radially outer limit of the flange surface 39 and upwardly to the shaft 31.

Similarly, the flange member 36 has its flange surface 43 extending continuously radially outwardly from the shaft 31 and to its side wall 44. Then the flange surface 36 has its outer frusto-conical wall 46 extending from the radially outer limit of the flange surface 43 and upwardly to the shaft 31. Further, in the FIG. 6 embodiment, the flange member 36 is shown to be a solid member, but both the FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 embodiments are shown to be made of a plastic material, though other materials could be used, but they are both shown to be frusto-conical so that they present the oblique outer surfaces 42 and 46, respectively, to avoid inadvertent catching onto the obstacles past which the skier is moving. In both instances of embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the respective flange members have openings for telescopically receiving the shaft 31 which is not shown to be a tapered shaft as it is in FIG. 2. However, in the entire disclosure, it will be understood that the flange members of any of the embodiments could be applied to either a tapered or straight shaft, and suitable stops or attachment arrangements could be made within the scope of this invention which is directed mainly at the provision of the oblique surface along the exterior of the flange member and extending from the pole shaft and down to the outer limit of the flange surface which bear against the snow for the support desired. Also, the side wall 16 is at an angle of less than 45 with the longitudinal axis of the shaft 16, and thus a ski will not trap the basket if the ski moves onto the basket said wall 16.

FIGS. 7-11 show still another embodiment of the invention, and here it will be seen that the shaft 10 has its hand grip 11 at one end and the pointed tip 12 at the other end. In this embodiment, there is a conically shaped basket 51 which is actually frusto-conical in its shape and it is of a hollow interior, as seen in FIG. 11. Also, the basket 51 is of a resilient material, for the purposes mentioned in connection with the basket previously described, and also the basket 51 is located spaced from the pole tip 12 so that the proper planting of the tip 12 into the snow can be achieved, and subsequent engagement of the snow by the basket 51 will also be achieved. That is, with the construction as shown, the basket will not catch on objects, as mentioned, and it will also be arranged to function with optimum efficiency for generating the desired forward thrust in the normal use of a ski pole. Thus, with a conically shaped restraining collar 52 located on the shaft 10, the exterior surface 53 of the basket 51 forms a continuous plane or angle between the basket lower and outer edge 54 and the shaft 10 so that there is no excessive protrusion of the basket 51 or the collar 52 relative to the shaft 10 and therefore these elements cannot catch on objects being passed when the ski pole is in the air under normal use. Also, the angle A as shown in FIG. 11 is comparable to that angle shown in FIG. 2, and this is an angle of approximately to 45, and that provides for sufficient structural support for the somewhat resilient basket 51 to be planted into the snow for the purposes of generating the forward thrust in the normal use of a ski pole. That is, the angle mentioned is desired and effective in avoiding any complete collapse of the resilient basket 51 when an upward force of the snow is applied on the basket 51 in normal use of the ski pole. Further, the basket edge 5 will it self be lodged into the snow even if the tip of the ski pole does not get planted into the snow, and it also assists the tip in lodging into the snow by drawing the tip down as forces applied down the ski pole shaft and as the basket imbeds into the snow, all as desired for firm planting of the ski pole in its normal use. That is, in a shallow angle of ski pole plant, the basket itself can engage the snow and still provide effective firmness for the desired forward thrust in the use of the pole.

Throughout the consideration of the configuration and location and angulation of the arrangement mentioned above, it is also significant to point out that the angle of the basket outer surface 53 itself relative to the axis of the shaft 10 should also be 20 to 45, and this angle is significant relative to all of the aforementioned features. Further, with the basket angle no less than 20, snow does not become trapped within the hollow basket.

The drawings further show that the basket 51 has an upper edge 56 in abutment with the collar 52 for limiting the upward movement of the basket 51 on the shaft 16. Thus the shaft 16 is shown to be tapered, and the collar 52 has a tapered opening 57 which conforms to the taper of the shaft 10 and therefore the collar 52 is firmly seated with the shaft 10 in an axially fixed position that is positioned simply by sliding onto the shaft 10 from the tip end 12. Also, the upper end of the basket 51 has an enlarged portion designated 58 which has a circular opening 59 conforming to the diameter of the shaft 10 at the location of the basket portion 58 on its assembled position with the shaft 111. That is, the basket opening 59 is of a size which is substantially the same as the cross-sectional size of the shaft 10 in the assembled position shown in FIG. 11. With this arrangement, the basket 51 is snugly disposed on the shaft 10 and will not tip thereon. Further, the basket 51 is shown to have a hollow interior 61, and a wall 62 defines an end of the hollow interior 61. A rubber sleeve or the like 63 is circularly shaped and extends over the shaft 10 and abuts the basket wall 62 for holding the basket 51 upwardly on the shaft 10 and against the collar 52. Thus the basket presents the desired capacity in its hollow interior 61 for permitting the flexing of the basket 51 for the purposes mentioned and also for permitting the ready and easy assembly and disassembly of the three parts 51, 52, and 63.

Thus the collar 52 has its tapered opening 57 for snugly positioning the collar in an upwardly axially limited position on the shaft 10, and the exterior surface 56 of the collar 52 forms a substantially continuous conical surface from the shaft 10 and down to the lower planar wall 64 of the collar 52. The basket 51 has its upper planar walls 66 in flush contact with the lower surface 64 of the collar 52, and thus the basket is limited in its upward movement on the shaft 10 from the position shown in FIG. 11. Finally, assembly of the resilient sleeve 63 stretched over the shaft 10 and to the position where the sleeve 63 abuts the basket surface 62, the basket 51 is then held against movement toward the shaft tip 12, unless and until the sleeve 63 is removed by stretching it away from. the shaft 10 and then sliding it down on the shaft. That is, any force downwardly on the basket 51 will simply more firmly engage the sleeve 63 with the shaft 10 and prevent downward movement of the basket 51 on the shaft 10 and only intentional removal of the resilient sleeve 63 will permit downward movement of the basket 51. Also, the basket 51 thus presents an annular or flat flange surface 67 at its lower and outer portion, and this surface is disposed radially outwardly from the shaft and along a plane transverse to the axis of the shaft and out to the outer edge 54. The basket is free of any slits or openings, and its entire under surface, including the annular surface 67, presents a projected area or surface by virtue of its inner wall 68 and its end wall 62, for pressing downwardly onto the snow in generating the forward thrust in the use of the pole. The sleeve 63 is cylindrically shaped and of a resilient and stretchable material, such as rubber, and it has an inner diameter of an unstretched size less than the cross-sectional size of the shaft 10 at the final assembled location of the sleeve 63 on the shaft 10, as shown in FIG. 11. Also, the collar 52 is of a rigid material, such as metal, and the basket opening 59 is snug with and extends along the shaft 10 so the basket doesnt tip on the shaft 10 but can flex at the edge 54.

What is claimed is:

l. A ski pole comprising a shaft having an upper handle end and a lower snow penetrating end terminating in a tip, a conically-shaped hollow basket having a continuous conical side wall being free of any openings or slits and with said basket being invertedly disposed on said shaft adjacent said snow penetrating end, the larger circular end of said basket having a flat flange surface disposed spaced radially outwardly from said shaft and along a plane transverse to the axis of said shaft and to a radially outwardly disposed circular edge, said surface extending around said shaft and faced in the direction toward said shaft snow penetrating end for pressing onto the snow in the use of the ski pole when said snow penetrating end is pushed into the snow, said basket having its exterior conical surface extending from said circular edge and in the direction toward said pole handle and radially inwardly relative to said shaft to a location adjacent said shaft to present an oblique surface between said shaft and said circular edge, the angle between said circular edge and said tip being between 25 and 45 and measured relative to the longitudinal axis of said shaft, said basket being of a resilient material for movement of said flange surface relative to said shaft, said shaft being tapered along its length, said basket having an opening at the apex of said conical basket for the encircling of said tapered shaft by said basket, said basket being enlarged in the thickness of the material surrounding and identifying said opening, and a circular means wedged onto said tapered shaft and being in contact with said enlarged thickness of said basket on axially opposite sides of said thickness along said shaft for locating and restraining said basket axially of said shaft.

l =l l 

1. A ski pole comprising a shaft having an upper handle end and a lower snow penetrating end terminating in a tip, a conicallyshaped hollow basket having a continuous conical side wall being free of any openings or slits and with said basket being invertedly disposed on said shaft adjacent said snow penetrating end, the larger circular end of said basket having a flat flange surface disposed spaced radially outwardly from said shaft and along a plane transverse to the axis of said shaft and to a radially outwardly disposed circular edge, said surface extending around said shaft and faced in the direction toward said shaft snow penetrating end for pressing onto the snow in the use of the ski pole when said snow penetrating end is pushed into the snow, said basket having its exterior conical surface extending from said circular edge and in the direction toward said pole handle and radially inwardly relative to said shaft to a location adjacent said shaft to present an oblique surface between said shaft and said circular edge, the angle between said circular edge and said tip being between 25* and 45* and measured relative to the longitudinal axis of said shaft, said basket being of a resilient material for movement of said flange surface relative to said shaft, said shaft being tapered along its length, said basket having an opening at the apex of said conical basket for the encircling of said tapered shaft by said basket, said basket being enlarged in the thickness of the material surrounding and identifying said opening, and a circular means wedged onto said tapered shaft and being in contact with said enlarged thickness of said basket on aXially opposite sides of said thickness along said shaft for locating and restraining said basket axially of said shaft. 